


Never Thought I'd Live Past Twenty

by JetGirl1832, tomatopudding



Series: Friends Make Life A Lot More Fun [14]
Category: Rent - Larson
Genre: F/M, Family Feels, Family Reunions, Gen, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-21 10:11:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9543179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JetGirl1832/pseuds/JetGirl1832, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomatopudding/pseuds/tomatopudding
Summary: Directly following the events of the show, Mimi goes tot he hospital. While there, she reconnects with someone she hasn't seen for a long time.December 1990





	

**** Mimi collapsed into another fit of coughing, going limp in Roger's arms.

 

"Where the hell is that ambulance?" Roger muttered, pulling her close and rubbing her back soothingly.

 

"I finally got through!" Collins declared, "hello? Yes, we have an emergency here-"

 

"You're going to be alright," Roger whispered to Mimi.

 

Mimi coughed again.

 

"Water," Roger said suddenly, "Mark, get her some water."

 

Maureen had already beat him to it and swiped Mimi's hair from her face, holding the glass to her lips. Collins was telling the ambulance the address.

 

"Hurry, please."

 

“Is there anything else we can do?” Joanne asked with a worried look on her face.

 

“Not much other than wait for them to get here,” Collins sighed, “it’s a miracle she’s alive.”

 

"A Christmas miracle," Mark muttered.

 

"Says the Jew," Collins snarked.

 

"Oh like that really matters at this point?" Mark shot him a glare. Although at this point it was unlikely anybody was going to be mad at each other, they were just stressed and upset about Mimi.

 

"Guys," Roger said softly, "Come on."

 

Mark looked to Collins and gave a small half smile, which Collins returned.

 

There was silence for a moment when they started to hear sirens approaching in the distance. "Oh thank god," Maureen let out a sigh.

 

"Right," Collins said, springing into action, "Maureen, Joanne, go downstairs and make sure they get the right building. Mark, put together an overnight bag for Roger, he'll want one."

 

Suddenly struck by the fact that Collins had experience with this particular issue, the others obeyed without question.

It was good that he was there and was telling them what to do, it helped them maintain some sort of calm.

 

A few minutes after Maureen and Joanne had gone down the stairs they came back with the paramedics following them.

 

"She's here," Roger said unnecessarily, "Her name is Mimi Marquez, she's HIV positive."

 

The paramedics moved with efficiency, strapping Mimi to the trauma board.

 

By the time Mark emerged with Roger's bag, he was out the door with the paramedics.

 

"We can follow in my car," Joanne said as she buttoned up her coat.

 

They all grabbed their coats and followed Joanne to where her car was parked on the street. The four of them hastily got in the car, and followed the ambulance to Bellevue hospital. It took time before they actually could find a place to park and made their way to the triage desk for urgent care.

 

The nurse at the desk pointed them in the right direction. Roger was outside the room, so it was easy to find, looking through the glass panel in the door as Mimi was connected to various tubes and wires.

 

"They won't let me in," Roger murmured turning away from the window, it pained him to see her like that.

 

"Rog," Mark started, then he simply moved to his best friend's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. Maureen went to his other side and hooked her arm through his. It was like being back in Scarsdale, the three of them against the rest of the world.

 

Those had been simpler and easier times back then, there was no denying that. That first day on playground that had changed their lives and they had no way of knowing it would go this far.

 

When the doctor finally emerged from Mimi's room, he had a small smile.

 

"She'll be fine," the doctor said, "She's malnourished and is going through withdrawal along with a small touch of the flu."

 

"Isn't that dangerous for her?" Maureen asked, "With the HIV?"

 

The doctor nodded, "Yes, it won't be an easy road, but she should make a full recovery."

 

They were was a collective sigh of relief from the entire group, "So how long will she be here?" Roger asked.

 

"Well it's hard to say," The doctor sighed.

 

"Can I stay with her?" Roger blurted.

 

The doctor smiled slightly again, "Of course. I'll have a cot brought in. The rest of you will have to wait until visiting times."

 

Maureen looked as if she was about to say something in protest but Joanne stopped her, "Not now Honeybear."

 

"But--"

 

"Maureen."

 

She looked surprised at the harsh tone in Mark's voice. He usually didn't speak that way to anybody.

 

She only had to catch his briefly before letting it go. She closed her mouth and gave him a pouting look, which Mark gave her a look so she turned away.

 

"It might be best if we come back tomorrow," Collins suggested before he turned to Roger, "you think you'll be alright?"

 

"Yeah."

 

Roger took his bag from Mark with a soft smile of gratitude.

 

They all said their goodbyes to Roger promised to return tomorrow and slowly they left the hospital leaving Roger alone.

 

Roger waved his friends off as he followed the doctor who started talking to him about a Mimi once again.

 

Maureen couldn't help but look back at him as they left. She wasn't a particularly religious person, but she currently wished that she was, if only to have something to do.

 

"You are her significant other?"

 

It felt so strange when she worded it that way, almost impersonal, "Yes," Roger replied.

 

"Do you have any idea who her next of kin is?" the doctor continued, "Or her medical proxy?"

 

Roger shrugged helplessly, "I'm sorry, I don't." He felt completely out of his depth.

So much for thinking he knew Mimi he realized, he knew next to nothing about her family, it was something rarely talked about. All he knew was that she had talked about her father briefly a couple of times but that was it.

 

The subject of families has never really come up, they were so wrapped up in each other and in living their lives. The only person who might have known there information the doctor was asking for was Angel. Thinking of her just upset him.

 

"What do you need to know all that for?" Roger found himself asking without really thinking it through first. But at this point he no longer cared.

 

"Look, Mr--"

 

"Davis," Roger filled in, "Roger Davis."

 

"Mr. Davis," the doctor repeated, "I know that you're worried and upset. Right now, we're getting her stable, but she needs more help and we cannot legally treat her without consent."

 

Roger was slowly getting more frustrated, "Well what the hell am I supposed to do about it?" At this point he was wishing Joanne hadn't left, perhaps she at least had some idea as how to deal with this, at least more than he did.

 

"Mr. Davis," the doctor soothed, "please stay calm. Is there someone you could call who might know this information?"

 

Roger tried not to let the doctor's patronizing tone get to him. 

 

"No," He replied, there was a slight hint of bitterness in his voice, "if I did I would have told you already."

 

"Okay. We will continue to keep her stable at the moment, but we really must get consent before treating her further."

 

The doctor strode away and Roger's hands clenched into fists. He felt helpless. The best thing, he told himself, was to wait until morning and call Joanne for get legal knowledge. The next step would be to ask Collins if Angel had ever mentioned something about Mimi's family. He settled himself in the chair next to Mimi's bed and kept vigil for several hours before he finally succumbed to his exhaustion and fell asleep, still holding her hand in his.

 

When morning finally came Roger found himself to be rather sore as he stretched. A quick glance at Mimi and he saw she was still unconscious, he remembered the conversation he'd had with the doctor and realized that he needed to do something about it. Slowly he let go of Mimi's hand and went in search of a pay phone to call Joanne.

 

"Jefferson," Joanne answered brusquely, sounding half asleep.

 

"It's Roger," he glanced at the clock and winced, "sorry for calling so early."

 

"Roger, no I'm sorry for snapping," Joanne sighed, "What's wrong?"

 

Roger hesitated, "I need to find Mimi's next of kin. They won't treat her without consent from her medical proxy."

 

"I'll see what I can do," Joanne replied. Roger could hear her writing notes to herself through the phone.

 

"Try asking Collins," suggested Roger, "She and Angel were friends for a long time."

 

"Right. Hang in there, Roger, we'll figure something out," her voice turned from business to friendly, "Maureen and I will be by later and I know that Mark is putting together a few more things for you."

 

When Roger returned to the room, a young nurse was adjusting some things on the monitors. She smiled softly when she caught sight of him.

 

"She's still stable."

 

Roger didn't have the energy to be social and simply nodded his thanks. So once again he was stuck waiting, and he wished that he could do more to help Mimi. All these stupid legal and medical things were too ridiculous and too complicated, why couldn't they just treat her? What if she got worse while they just sat here trying to figure out what to do?

 

Well maybe Joanne was right, talking to Collins did seem like a good idea, besides the fact that he might know something he had always been a voice of reason... Well to some extent.

 

It was in this way that the morning passed. Mimi remained unconscious, her breathing labored, and Roger remained so lost in his thoughts that he jumped when a small knock sounded on the door. It was the nurse from before, a tray of food in her hands.

 

"I thought you might be hungry," she said kindly, "and it didn't look like you were going to be moving anytime soon."

 

The clock showed that it was already two in the afternoon and Roger's stomach growled accordingly.

 

"I'm Jenna, by the way," the nurse said kindly, "if you or your girlfriend need anything, just let me know, okay?"

 

"Thanks uhhh... Jenna..." Roger replied quietly, he had been so lost in everything that he had no idea how much time had passed.

 

"It's no problem," Jenna smiled.

 

As Jenna was leaving Joanne entered manila folders in hand, "I've been talking with Collins and I think we may have been able to figure this out!"

 

Roger heaved a sigh of relief, putting aside the uneaten food, "That's great!"

 

Joanne nodded, "Yes. I was able to scrounge up some of Mimi's high school records, so we should be able to use the address on file to track someone down."

 

Maureen and Mark entered, bickering as per usual, with Collins bringing up the rear.

 

Maureen followed, taking a seat half on Joanne's lap, as Mark had taken the other chair. Collins took a moment to give Roger a comforting pat on the shoulder before he, too, settled at the foot of Mimi's bed with a file folder in hand.

 

It almost felt like they were violating something looking into her past like this without her consent. There lists of teachers, her transcript, records of any misconduct and such.

 

They all tried their best not to look into the personal files, skimming as much as possible for an address. Finally, one emerged.

 

"We have a 182 Tremont in the Bronx," Mark held up one of the files, " and a phone number too, It's 212-500-525," Mark read out loud, "hopefully someone is actually there and they can help us."

 

Joanne nodded as she punched the number into her cell phone.

 

It rang several times, "I wonder if anyone is there," Joanne muttered, it then clicked as someone picked up the phone.

 

"Hello?" Came a gruff voice on the other end of the line.

 

Joanne briefly lowered her phone, "We have someone... Sounds like her father?"

 

"Hello?" the voice called out again.

 

"Hi," Joanne turned to the phone, "I'm calling to speak to the parents of Mimi Marquez?"

 

"Who wants to know?" the man snapped.

 

"I'm Joanne Jefferson, a friend of Mimi's and she..." Joanne paused, "please sir, if you are related to her we need your help."

 

"What's that girl done now?" the man grumbled, "Ran off and gave her poor mother a heart attack. Ungrateful."

 

"Sir..." Joanne was stunned but was trying to remain calm, "your daughter, she's very sick-"

 

"She's not my daughter!" the man hollered at her.

 

Joanne was stunned for a moment, the rest of the group, who had heard the shout through the phone, were wide-eyed.

 

"I'm sorry, sir, your step-daughter then, she's sick and--"

 

"Not my problem," he growled, "Ungrateful girl. Call her good-for-nothing brother."

 

"Do you have a number for him?"

 

"Yeah, yeah sure..." he grumbled, "you listening? I'm only going to tell you once."

 

"I'm listening sir," Joanne replied.

 

"212-652-1121," the man rattled off the numbers.

 

"Thank you sir-" but he had hung up before Joanne could say anything else, she sighed, "I don't understand..." she shook her head as she looked at the number she'd hastily scribbled down, "well hopefully her brother is more helpful."

 

There was an oppressive silence in the room as Joanne dialed the number and the line rang.

 

It seemed to ring forever until someone picked up and a male voice floated over the line.

 

"Hello?"

 

"Yes, hello," Joanne said, "I'm looking for the brother of Mimi Marquez?"

 

"Yeah, this is Luis."

 

Joanne gave the others a thumbs up, "My name is Joanne, I'm a friend of your sister's. She's really sick and the hospital won't treat her without consent--"

 

"Is she okay?" Luis interrupted, sounding much more worried than Mimi's stepfather, which wasn't really difficult to do.

 

"The doctor says she'll be fine, we just need the family's permission for treatment."

 

"Where are you?"

 

Joanne told him the particulars and she could hear the sound of jangling keys and Luis's harsh breathing as he moved around.

 

"I'll be there."

 

He hung up without warning, but Joanne was too relieved to have gotten an answer to get annoyed at the rudeness, which really could be excused at this point.

 

"Apparently he's on his way," Joanne sighed as she put down the phone and started collecting the papers back into her file, "at least there is someone in her family who cares about her."

 

Roger looked to Mimi, wondering what else he didn't know about her. They'd been together for the majority of a year, but he still felt like she was a stranger to him in many different ways. To be fair, he hadn’t shared much personal family information with her either, but it had never been so noticeable as it was now.

 

Even as he watched, Mimi's eyes started to flutter open.

 

"Mimi?"

 

Maureen started to rise, but Joanne held her down, Mark and Collins also giving them some space.

 

"Roger?" Mimi mumbled, her voice full of exhaustion, raspy from disuse, "What--" she interrupted herself with more coughing.

 

"Get the nurse from the desk out there, Jenna," Roger told Mark, "Have her call the doctor."

 

Mark nodded and went to do as he was told.

 

It didn't take long for the doctor to come in, and Mimi's coughing slowly came to a halt. 

 

"Ms. Marquez, it's good to see you awake," the doctor, a different one from the night before, said, "My name is Dr. Platt. How are you feeling this morning?"

 

"Tired," replied Mimi honestly.

 

"That's to be expected," Dr. Platt chuckled, "you've been unconscious for about fifteen hours, and not restfully. We have you on IV fluids and antibiotics at the moment to try to get you stable."

 

Mimi didn't seem to understand what was going on, whimpering slightly, her forehead shining with sweat.

 

"What's wrong with her?" Maureen asked, a slight panic entering her voice.

 

"Withdrawal," Mark replied softly. His eyes were locked on Mimi.

 

Dr. Platt nodded slightly, "Yes. I'm afraid we can't do much while she's still detoxing."

 

It took a lot to make Maureen uncomfortable and this was certainly one of those times. It had killed her to see Roger going through withdrawal, and why she ended up spending many nights out of the loft and to parties and clubs.

 

If she was completely honest with herself, that was when her relationship with Mark had really begun to fall apart. Mark had spent every waking hour by Roger's side, even when the musician became belligerent and occasionally violent. Things had never really been the same between her and Mark after that.

 

"We'll have to keep an eye on her while she goes through the process," Dr Platt began, but he was interrupted by the entrance of a man in a simple suit.

 

"Mimi?" he said, eyes wide.

 

The doctor introduced himself and shook Luis's hand.

 

"I was just telling her friends here. Mimi is going through heroin withdrawal and has caught a small flu, which is of course adversely affected by her HIV."

 

"My sister has AIDS?"

 

There was an awkward silence as no one else dared say anything to Luis, no one there knew exactly what the relationship was like between the two of them. Obviously it had been more than a couple of years since they had talked but that was all that they knew about him. 

 

“I’m afraid so,” Dr. Platt replied.

 

Joanne nudged Maureen off her lap and offered the chair to Luis, which he took gratefully.

 

"We were worried about getting medical permission, since Mimi is unable to in her state. As a family member, you can give consent for treatment."

 

Luis opened his mouth as if he wanted to speak, but ended up simply nodding. The doctor gave them all a small smile and left the room, closing the door behind him.

"And that's why you needed me here?" Luis sighed, "of all the times to see her again..."

 

"I'm really sorry it has to be like this," Joanne tried to offer him a kind smile, "but we are glad you are here."

 

\----------

 

As visiting hours came to an end everyone else reluctantly left the hospital leaving Roger and Luis alone with Mimi.

 

They sat in chairs opposite each other not saying much until Roger let out a sigh, "So I know didn't say this earlier," he paused, "but thanks for coming like this out of your way-"

 

"She's my sister, why shouldn't I?" Luis replied defensively.

 

Roger almost replied in the same snappy manner but refrained from doing so, "I'm Roger by the way..."

 

"And?"

 

Something about Luis flustered Roger. Maybe it was the snappy tone of voice or the fact that he hadn't been in Mimi's life for some time.

 

"I'm her boyfriend," he felt like he was being defensive and rubbed at his eyes, "At least, I think I still am."

 

Luis gave him a pointed look, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

 

Roger really didn't want to get into this right now, all the fighting and shouting and taking off to Santa Fe? Especially with her brother who he barely knew and seemed to like he was going to be a force to reckon with.

 

"Well?" Luis prodded.

 

"It's not important," Roger said brusquely, "If she wants to tell you the whole story, she can do it when she's better. I love her and she loves me. That's the important part."

 

Luis opened his mouth and quickly shut it, as if pondering what to say next, "I think you and I have gotten off on the wrong foot."

 

Roger's lips twitched in what might have been a tiny smile, "This meeting definitely isn't going the way I would have wanted it to go."

 

"I guess let's try this again," Luis held out his hand to Roger, "I'm Luis Marquez and I'm Mimi's older brother."

 

"Roger Davis, her boyfriend."

 

They shook.

 

"I'm sorry that we have to meet like this," Luis gestured to the hospital room, "although I wonder if Mimi had her way if we would have ever met."

 

Roger gave a small huff of laughter, "If she had set her mind on that, there would be no changing it. She's certainly a strong person."

 

"Agreed," Luis said with a nod, "I didn't notice Angel earlier. They've been friends since they were tiny, I would think that," he hesitated over the pronoun slightly, "she would be here."

 

Roger looked down at his hands in thought, "Angel..." he faltered, "she died-"

 

"What?" Luis looked at him in disbelief, "that can't be..."

 

"About two months ago," Roger said. He very carefully didn't mention the fact that Angel had died from health complications due to the fact that she had been immunocompromised from her HIV. He was also very carefully trying not to think of the parallels being drawn with Mimi lying in the hospital bed before him.

 

Luis didn't want to know any more, their families had been so intertwined for the longest time... It had changed when Mimi took off and started living with Angel but soon she had completely fallen off his radar. And here he was coming back to find Angel dead and his sister looking very close to dying.

 

A tense silence descended over the room, punctuated only by Mimi's harsh breathing, the beeping monitors, and Luis's soft sniffling, although he would never admit to crying.

 

"I wish I never lost touch with her..." Luis muttered shaking his head, maybe if he hadn't none of this would have ever happened.

 

Roger didn't really know what to say to that. He didn't know the whole story, hell he hadn't even known that Mimi had a brother, so he couldn't judge.

 

Luis leaned back in his chair and glanced over at Mimi, hoping that it wouldn't be long before she woke up. Perhaps he wouldn't need to worry as much as he did. He knew he'd done wrong by her and that was what brought them to this point, he never should have let his anger get the best of him. Despite the circumstances, he rather hoped that this would open a new chapter in their sibling relationship when Mimi got better. The implied "if" he left unthought. “If” meant he doubted she would get better and he wasn't going to let a little word like "if" stop him from believing she would get well again.

 

\----------

 

When Mimi's eyes fluttered open early the next morning, the first thing she saw was Roger asleep in a chair and a second man asleep in another. It took her a moment to realize that it was Luis. He had changed over the past years, but there was still something of her brother in his features. She was aching all over and her memory of the previous hours was fuzzy at best. She had vague recollections of being at the loft and professing her love to Roger before the haziness took over. She blinked a few times to try to clear the sleep from her eyes, but a sharp ache in her head made her whimper.

 

"Ms. Marquez, you're awake," Jenna, the nurse, said as she entered, her voice a whispering order not to wake the slumbering men.

 

"I think," Mimi started, then paused, "Where am I?"

 

"This is Bellevue Hospital," Jenna explained, "glad to see your finally awake," she smiled.

 

Mimi groaned not only did her head hurt, but her whole body was in an immense amount of pain. "What happened to me?" she finally was able to get out as she looked around and at the IV in the back of her hand.

 

"It's just a little bit of a flu," Jenna explained, looking over Mimi's vitals and making notes on the chart in her hands, "We're basically pumping you full of antibiotics in addition to your usual HIV medication. Dr. Platt will be able to tell you more about the next step when he comes through on his rounds in a couple hours. In the meantime, you're allowed to have liquids. Would you like something to eat? Some broth?"

 

Mimi felt a wave of nausea and shook her head slightly. She had no idea when the last time she'd eaten was but that was the furthest thing from her mind. 

 

"H-how long has he been here?" she gestured slightly to Luis not understand how he could have found her.

 

"He came late in the afternoon yesterday," Jenna explained.

 

Mimi could feel herself drifting close to the edge of consciousness but forced her eyes to stay open.

 

She felt as if she'd missed so much already, she remembered it being Christmas Eve when she was in the loft but she had no idea what day it was now.

 

"Mimi."

 

After administering another dose of sedative the nurse slipped out the door as Luis awoke and moved to take Mimi's hand.

 

"How did you find me?" Mimi asked. It was a struggle to keep herself coherent, but she needed to know before she succumbed again.

 

"I don't--"

 

Whatever else Mimi was going to say was swallowed by a whimper as a shudder ran through her. Her eyes fluttered shut again as she sank back into unconsciousness. 

 

"Mimi?" Luis asked, worried.

 

"It's the withdrawal."

 

Luis turned to Roger, who was sitting up and rolling his shoulders.

 

"Withdrawal?" Luis raised his brow, clearly there was a lot about his sister he did not know.

 

Roger felt awkward. It was difficult enough finding out about a family member's addiction, but to hear it from a stranger?   
  
"Heroin," he said shortly, "I've been trying to get her off of it, but we had a fight fairly recently and she was gone for awhile."

 

Luis clenched his fists and pressed his lips into a thin line and he inhaled deeply. Roger stayed quiet while he processed this information.

 

"H-how long was she using?" Luis asked.   
  
"I'm not really sure," Roger confessed, it was not something he and Mimi ever talked about. He couldn't help but notice that Luis almost looked guilty.   
  
"I should have done more," Luis muttered.

 

Roger stayed silent again. He had no idea what Mimi's history with her family so he couldn't comment on what Luis could or could not have done for Mimi. His own guilt was enough to keep him busy, thinking about all the times he had tried to help Mimi get clean and all the times he hadn't pushed even when he saw her begin to lapse.

 

"She never mentioned you," Roger spoke up, "was there a reason?"   
  
"She hated me," Luis replied bluntly, "and I know why," he sighed.

 

"I don't think Mimi is capable of hate," Roger said softly, his gaze on her.    
  
She wasn't completely still even despite the mild sedative she had been given, the shivers of withdrawal shuddering through her.

 

"She was when she left that day," Luis pushed his hair from his face, "but she had every reason to be..."

 

"You don't need to tell me," Roger said.    
  
"No," replied Luis, his voice soft, "it's Mimi's story to tell, if she wants. I just," he sighed, "I just want to be a part of her life again."

 

Luis looked back towards her sister and then to Roger, "I want to make it up to her, it feels like she's the only one I have left, and for awhile I didn't even know she was here."

 

Mimi whimpered and her head turned to the side. Roger reached forward to brush her hair from her sweaty forehead.    
  
"Can she get through this?" asked Luis, "The withdrawal, I mean. Considering her situation."   
  
"I did," Roger said, "with help from friends. And that's how Mimi will get through this too."   
  
"I'll be there too," Luis decided, "I mean, if she wants me here."

 

Roger sent Luis a smile, which the other man returned. They settled in to wait for Mimi to wake up.

 

When she finally did Roger had fallen asleep in the chair he's been sitting in, his arms crossed. 

 

Luis was staring unfocused into space, lost in his thoughts, but he jolted from them when he heard his sister call his name.    
  
"Querida," he said softly, reaching forward to place a gentle hand on hers.

 

"What are you doing here?" Mimi's voice was soft and scratchy, but not angry as he feared it might be.

 

"Your friend called me," replied Luis, "they needed a family member or medical proxy to give permission for treatment."   
  
"Oh," said Mimi, taking a deep breath as a shudder went through her.

 

"Is it okay that I'm here?" Luis asked.

 

"I wish you didn't have to see me like this," Mimi whispered.

 

"I'm just glad to see you," Luis gave her a small smile, "I'm sorry, I am so sorry for everything-"

 

"Luis," Mimi interrupted, "It's okay. I forgive you."   
  
Luis sighed in relief, blinking away tears as he took Mimi's hand, "I want to be here for you."   
  


"Okay," Mimi replied just as Roger shifted in his chair stretching as he woke up.   
  


Roger glanced between the siblings briefly and made a show of stretching slightly.    
  
"I'm going to go give he others a call," he said, "let them know how things are going."   
  
Mimi looked over at him and smiled, "Tell them I said hi."   
  
Roger let out a small chuckle as he stood, "Of course."   
  
He caught Mimi's eyes, asking permission with his gaze, and when he saw her slight nod he leaned over to give her a kiss.

 

"I'll be back later," Roger murmured when they broke apart from each other. He slipped out of the room and into the hallway and sighed, so much had happened since Christmas Eve he could hardly believe it.

 

He leaned against the wall next to the now-closed door, allowing his eyes to close for a moment as he simply breathed. He would call them, in a moment, he just needed some time to think everything through. Roger glanced back at the door to Mimi's room and sighed.

 

He needed this moment, he needed to clear his head, he also knew that Mimi should have this time with her brother. Maybe a walk would do him good. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he started down the hall.    
  
Mimi was waking up a bit more and carefully shifted herself into a seated position. Despite what he might think, it was really great for her to see Luis again. She had missed him more than she thought she would.

 

There were days when she regretted leaving the way she had, but she didn't know what else to do. Thank god for Angel. Without Angel, things would have a whole lot worse.    
  
"How are you?" Mimi asked.    
  
Luis gave a slightly humorless laugh, "You're the one in the hospital and you're asking how I am?"   
  
Mimi smiled, "I'm just trying to be polite. Don't be a jerk."

 

"I'm good," Luis nodded, "I'm working with some kids from Mott Haven in the Bronx. There's a high poverty rate, lots of broken homes."   
  
"Oh."   
  
Mimi had not known what to make if the way he was dressed, but she supposed it did make sense.   
  
"What about you?" Luis asked.

 

She looked away from her brother. It wasn't that she was ashamed of her work, she loved what she did and was very proud of it despite the grabby hands of some of the club patrons.    
  
"Dancing," Mimi replied simply.

 

"Yeah?" Luis raised his brow, "where?"   
  
Mimi paused for a moment, not sure if she was quite ready to tell him that.

 

"I've been gone for a couple weeks," she said, looking down at her hands, "I'm not sure if I even still have my job."   
  
"They can't fire you for being ill," insisted Luis.    
  
"I know," Mimi assured him.

 

There was silence for a moment as the two of them say there.   
  
"I'm glad."   
  
Mimi looked back over Luis.   
  
"I'm glad that you are doing what you love," he added, "And that you've found somebody to take care of you."   
  
Mimi smiled, "Roger and I take care of each other." She paused, her smile fading slightly, "I'm going to stay off of it this time. The heroin, I mean."

 

Luis face brightened at that, "Yeah?"   
  
Mimi couldn't help but smile and nod in return. She kind of hated getting her brother's hopes up. She'd tried to quit before and had always had the same drive when she first started, but things had always deteriorated. Maybe this time would be different.    
  
"These past few days," Mimi began.    
  
Luis reached out and placed his hand over hers, "You don't have to tell me. It's okay."

 

"Want to," Mimi replied, "I really do."

 

"Mimi," Luis said, but he was interrupted by a knock at the door followed by the entrance of a nurse he didn't recognize.    
  
"Sorry," she apologized, "I'm Jenna. Just checking in, Ms. Marquez."

 

Mimi sighed, being in the hospital she was going to have to get used to random people coming in and out of her room all day long.

 

"Visiting hours are open," Jenna informed as she bustled around checking levels on the IV bag and writing notes on her clipboard, "You've got a big group downstairs. Shall I let them in."   
  
"Of course," Luis said before Mimi could answer, "We can talk more later," he assured his sister, "I promise."

 

"Okay," Mimi's voice grew quiet.   
  


Jenna finished her tasks and gave the siblings a smile before she left the room. A few moments later she could hear the sounds of her friends coming down the hall the room.

 

Maureen entered first, exuberant as always.    
  
"How are you doing, my little kitten?" she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.    
  
"Maureen," sighed Joanne.    
  
"No, it's okay," Mimi said with a small laugh.

 

"I'm so glad to see you!" Maureen grinned.   
  
"I'm happy to see you too Mo," Mimi chuckled. 

 

"Good," Maureen said firmly, pressing a smacking kiss to Mimi's forehead.    
  
"Stop hogging," Roger teased, "The rest of us exist too."   
  
"Nope," Maureen replied.

 

Roger simply shook his head, "You are ridiculous."   
  
"And that's why you love me!"

 

Roger rolled his eyes. Mark popped up at his side, camera running and pointed at Maureen.    
  
"Behold our resident drama queen," he narrated, "in her natural state of being: the center of attention."

 

"I can't help it if the world loves me," Maureen batted her eyelashes.

 

"I think you guys are scaring Mimi's brother," Collins laughed, leaning casually against the wall.    
  
Luis was indeed slightly overwhelmed. When he'd first arrived the previous day, everyone had been so muted and he'd only really been focusing on his sister.

 

"I'm fine," Luis breathed looking around the room still unsure as to who everyone was.

 

They all turned to look at Luis as if they had just remembered his presence in the room.

 

"Sorry about them," Joanne said, extracting herself from the rest, "I know how it feels to step into this situation without any warning."

 

Luis shook his head and took a moment to compose himself, "It's fine..." he paused just wondering how they all knew his sister. Now, though, he just let the chatter of conversation wash over him, enjoying the way the presence of all her friends made Mimi's face light up.

 

They clearly cared about her and that was enough to put his mind at ease for the time being.

  
  
  
  



End file.
